Chapter Five

by Kal


First Blood

"Rise and shine, Cid"

"What the hell is happening? Is Sephiroth back or something!?"

Cid quickly got up. He was sitting at his bed, rubbing his eyes as the light came in from the windows Shera had opened. Cid extended his right hand to the night table next to his bed, grabbing a cigarretes pack. He muttered some curses as he discovered it was empty.

"Why the hell did you wake me up? I was having this great dream with two incredible babes and..."

A look into Shera´s eyes conviced him of not ending his narration.

"I woke you up because you´re supossed to take Cloud and Vincent to Junon, remember? So you better bath and dress quickly, since they´re eating breakfast already."

"Alright, alright! I´m going, just give me a couple of minutes to clear my thoughts."

"Hurry up, or they´re going to eat all the pancakes."

"Pancakes! Dammit woman, get outta my way!"

As Cloud and Vincent were sitting in the table at Cid´s kitchen, they were surprised to see Cid running into the bathroom carrying a bundle of clothes, yelling curses. They stared at each other for a couple of seconds and continued to eat the pancakes. After 10 minutes or so, Cid came out of the bathroom fully clothed, grabbed a dish, and started to eat pancakes like it was his last meal.

"So, Cid, what have you heard about Reeve?" Cloud asked, trying to make a conversation.

"Well, I heard his company is into many technological and investigation things." Cid said, as he gulped down his fifth pancake.

"I thought it was only a consulting company." Vincent commented.

"Yeah, but after a couple of months, his company started to expand into many other things. Medical investigation, military designs... you name it. A lot of Shinra scientists went to his company to do the projects they couldn´t when they were working for the Shinra."

"Yeah. We heard a lot of Shinra people ended working for Reeve. I hope at least one of them had involvement in the Jenova project." Cloud said.

"I think there´s a good chance we find one. After all, who else would be interested in those goddamn Jenova cells?"


"Do you have an appointment, sir?"

The secretary was staring at the man in front of her. Although dressed like a scientist, his presence made her feel uneasy. She passed a finger under the desk, where the button to call security was, as the man leaned over the desk.

"No, I don´t have one. But if you make me the favor of grabbing the phone receiver in your beautiful right hand, and with your lovely left hand you dial the number of my good friend General Powers and tell him that the professor is here, I´m sure he will receive me immediately."

Hojo smiled as the secretary dialed the number and after a couple of minutes of talk, the secretary told him that he could pass into the office. Everything was going to be fine.


Jacob checked again his gun. He wanted to make sure every detail was perfect, otherwise the General would put his head on a pike. The operation should be flawless. Although the targets would be caught with their guard low, they would put up a fight. Maybe two or three of his men would fall, but if everything was done right, by night time he would be in front of the General´s desk, informing about a successful operation. Then the helicopter they were in gave a jump, distracting Jacob of his thoughts, and returning him to the real world. He then began to give the men the final instructions.

"Okay, everybody, listen up. In twenty minutes we will be entering Rocket Town. Upon landing, we will search and seize this three subjects." He showed them enlarged pictures of Cid, Vincent and Cloud, and passed them along. "We are to capture them with a minimum of violence, we need them in good shape. If any of you panics and wounds or kills one of them, that person will be punished with extreme prejudice, understood?"

A heavy silence made Jacob aware that everyone had understood.

"Use the tranquilizer darts, and then bring them to helicopter. These two..." He said while pointing to the pictures of Cloud and Vincent. "Those two will need a stronger dose, and the other is extremely important, so don´t overuse the dart guns on him, using the net guns will be fine. The operation shouldn´t take more than five minutes, and in no case we will leave without at least one of them, understood?"

Again, the heavy silence made Jacob know his orders had been understood.

"Well, check your gear, and prepare, we´re about to start the operation."


"Well, do you guys have all your stuff?"

"Yes. We are ready to go." Vincent answered.

"How much time will you be away, captain?" Shera asked.

"About two, three days at most. If anything happens, just beep me, and I will come faster than a goddamn speeding bullet, ´kay?"

"Alright. Take care, captain."

"Goodbye, Shera."

The three of them got out of the house, and walked to the backyard. There was Cid´s plane, the Tiny Bronco II. Having spent a lot of time with Cid just fighting and flying in the Highwind, it was easy to forget he was also the best aircraft designer in the world. The Tiny Bronco looked like a fragile model plane, whereas the Tiny Bronco II looked a lot more like a next-generation fighter jet. The only thing that it had in common with the first Tiny Bronco wa the same pink color, and it´s name painted in the right wing. Cid opened the cabin, checked the systems, and started to heat the engines.

"Umm, Cid?" Cloud called him.

"What is it?"

"Well, the cabin looks spacious, but where are we going to put our stuff?"

"Wait a damn second."

Cid pressed a button, and a compartment opened in the back of the cabin. Cloud and Vincent began to put their stuff in, when Vincent stared into the horizon. Cloud didn´t notice until Vincent touched his shoulder. Then he heard it. Helicopters. Two. Closing in. Fast.

"Cid?"

"What´s the matter?" He said, as he continued to check the systems.

"Do you know what those helicopters might want here?" Vincent asked.

"What helicopters? What the hell are you talking about?"

Vincent pointed to where the helicopters were. Cid just squinted, and muttered something.

"Who the hell could be? "

"I have a bad feeling about this." Cloud said.

"Damn! We better prepare. You guys grab your weapons, I´ll go get my spear."

"Hurry Cid." Vincent said.

Cid entered the house, trying frantically to remember were the hell he put that goddamn thing. Outside, Vincent signaled Cloud to take cover in the trees near to the house, as he hid behind a corner. The sound of the helicopters rotors was growing with each second. Cloud checked the materia he had put on the Murasame, cursing himself for not bringing the Master materias. He only had a Fire and Bolt materias, along with a purple one he couldn´t remember what the hell it was.

The helicopters landed, and from them emerged many men dressed in black. Vincent counted thirty of them, all well armed. One of them was yelling orders, signaling the house. Vincent deduced he was the leader. He waited until almost half of them had entered the house, then , he quickly emerged from around the corner he was hiding, and shot the leader. He fell to the ground almost instantly, and the others began to shoot to where Vincent was standing. He began to run, shooting against them; suddenly, a thunderbolt hit their attackers, sending many of them flying. A blast of fire engulfed the ones who remained, as Vincent managed to shot down two more.

Jacob didn´t know what the hell had hit him. He silently thanked the heavens for bulletproof vests, and stood up. He saw how Vincent was shooting against his men, as he ran towards the plane to take cover. He saw how his men were hit by another thunderbolt. He began to search around him to see who was casting the spells. A gleam of light in the trees to his right made him aware of the position of their attacker. He yelled orders to his men, who ran towards the trees.

Cid was still inside the house, yelling curses as he searched for his weapon. He heard Shera scream, quickly running to where she was. He found himself coughing, a dense cloud filling the house. He managed to see a man in black hitting Shera unconscious. Enraged, he tried to attack him, but suddenly, a punch in the back of his head sent him to the floor. The soldiers then grabbed him by the arms and took him outside the house. Cloud was in a branch above the group who searched for him. He swallowed hard, and waited until one of them was just right under him. He tightened the grip on his sword, and jumped. The soldier looked in surprise to his chest, as the tip of the sword emerged from it. He let out a drowning sound before collapsing to the floor with a loud thud. His friends turned around, and began to shoot against Cloud. He quickly took cover behind some bushes. The pain in his right arm made him aware he had been shot. A quick look to his arm, and he saw the dart. He took it out, and then it struck him. They were here not to kill them, but to capture them! But why? And who? The yell of one of the soldiers brought him back from his thoughts. He quickly got up and slashed the soldier in the throat. The two remaining quickly discharged their weapons to where Cloud was standing. Cloud hid behind a tree, concentrated, and as a fire column engulfed both soldiers, he quickly slashed one across the chest, a kick in his stomach revealing him the soldier had armor under his uniform. He quickly got up and with a thunderbolt finished the battle. He rested against a tree, trying to regain his breath, then he got up and quickly ran to see how the others were doing.

Vincent was getting tired of this. Every time he tried to lift his head and shoot, their attackers shot. He couldn´t aim well that way, and the soldiers were starting to circle him. Then, suddenly, one soldier took out a different weapon and fired against Vincent. He was so busy trying not to get shot, he couldn´t avoid the net. He struggled to free himself. The soldiers got closer to grab him, when a roar made them stop in their tracks. A claw slashed through the net, and the soldiers saw how a beast emerged from it. It let out a roar, then it attacked the soldiers. After a couple of seconds, the only thing standing was the beast. Vincent then calmed, and regained his human form, breathing heavily, as he saw how the remaining soldiers were taking Cid out of the house. He started to shoot against them, and they responded to the fire, when a thunderbolt hit them. Cloud got out of the forest, as another thunderbolt impacted against the soldiers. The ones carrying Cid let him in the floor as they began to fire against Cloud. He covered behind some old boxes Cid kept in his yard, and with the last of his strength, casted a fire spell that engulfed the soldiers. The remaining ones, seeing how their numbers had decreased, started to run towards the helicopters.

This operation had been a disaster, but Jacob quickly saw the way of not going with the hands empty. He spotted Cid laying in the floor, and began to take him to the helicopter, when he felt a sudden pain in his chest. He looked down, and saw the blade of the Venus Gospel through his chest, before collapsing to the ground. Behind him was Shera, a furious look on her face. As the helicopters took away, Vincent and Cloud ran to check on Cid. Around them, the air was filled with the odor of blood and burned skin, the sirens of Rocket Town´s police getting closer. As Cid regained his conscience, he took a quick glance around him, a single word resuming everyone´s thoughts.

"Damn!"



"Your report, lieutenant."

"The situations is bad, sir. We lost 17 men, including Captain Marley. They would have killed us, if we didn´t retreat. And we couldn´t capture any of the targets, sir."

"So, you´re telling me you failed."

"Sir, the situation got out of control. Next time..."

"There won´t be a next time."

A hand reached for a button on the desk, pressing it. At that moment, in the other side of the world, the two helicopters exploded, killing all who were inside of them. General Powers just arranged his tie, as he turned to face his visitor.

"Sorry for that little interruption, professor. I had to take care of that little matter."

"I understand, General. It´s hard to find good help these days." Hojo said, laughing of his own joke.

"So, I understand you can not only provide me with the Jenova cells I need, but also will give me a 'bonus', for calling it that way. What could this 'bonus´ be?" The General said, as he lit a cigar. The ashtray in front of him showing he had been in his office for hours.

"The best soldier ever... Well, the best since you retired, General."

The General inclined towards Hojo.

"You don´t mean..."

"Yes. Sephiroth. In a silver platter. Or, better yet, a silver container."

Hojo laughed again, harder. General Powers just took another puff of his cigar, as he reclined on his chair, and began to think of the possibilities. Soon, very soon, his plans would be complete. He smiled as he reclined on his chair, thinking of the possibilities.

Finally, the very first battle! I bet you all thought it would took me an eternity to write it. Well, don´t worry. So, what will (hopefully) happen in the next chapter? Even I don´t know, and I´m the one who writes the story! To know it... read the next chapter when I´m done with it. See you later!